The flat turf racing season is slowly creaking into gear and will take centre stage next week with Newmarket’s Craven meeting. Saturday’s card at Doncaster is a league or two below that but there is some good competitive sport on offer.
The most interesting race on the card is the Doncaster Mile. The field has been reduced to six by the late withdrawal of Moonstone Magic and tactics are sure to play a big part. The one that I’m particularly interested in is Richard Fahey’s Gabrial. He was a smart three-year-old but inclined to hang during his races, a trait that he displayed when flashing past a good field at Haydock last season. He was very highly tried after that, even finding himself in the same race as Frankel at Goodwood. He is not in that class and has been gelded during the summer to keep his mind on the job. Kieren Fallon has the job of navigating his way through this small field.
The horse that I expect to prove the most serious obstacle is the tough and consistent Highland Knight. Andrew Balding’s six-year-old went on to win a Group 2 at Baden-Baden after making all in a decent handicap at Epsom. I would be very surprised if Liam Keniry does not adopt the front-running role here with Fallon stalking him on Gabrial. At 4-1, it is worth taking a chance that Gabrial is a more tractable customer than last season.
The bet365 Handicap looks almost impossible to solve. Twenty runners go to post over six furlongs with Cammidge Trophy winner Jack Dexter heading the weights. He had Our Jonathon just behind him in third that day but it could be closer on Saturday if the going stays good. My own view is that it wasn’t a particularly strong race in the Cammidge and they could both be vulnerable to something from lower in the handicap.
Thunderball won a handicap here last time out and is re-opposed by Spinatrix (2nd), King of Jazz (3rd) and Shropshire (4th). You could make a case for any of them here but Thunderball was always handy and stuck to his guns in the closing stages. He could confirm the places although I am wary of Shropshire who was going on well at the finish.
There is a host of other contenders including Sir Michael Stoute’s Duke of Firenze. His place at the head of the market owes more to the fact that he has been kept in training by Sir Michael than his actual form. Move In Time bolted up at Musselburgh on his first start for David O’Meara and could be an improver. The question mark is whether he actually stays six furlongs with all of his best form over five. His odds have been cut from 14-1 to a top price of 9-1 with Paddy Power and it could pay to follow the market.
Gabrial 4-1 William Hill
Move In Time 9-1 Paddy Power
